The present invention relates to the generation of forms. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for generating form user interfaces (UIs).
In typical business software products and applications, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and customer relationship management (CRM) systems, a large number of forms or form user interfaces are used. A form is a window, a dialog, a page, or another UI element for viewing and/or entering data. It is not uncommon for the number of forms which are used in conjunction with a business software application to exceed several thousand. Developing a large number of forms has traditionally been a labor-intensive task for software developers.
Further, complexity in business application such as ERP systems, CRM systems, and other forms based applications is growing. This is caused by a number of factors including: (1) an increasing number of forms in each system which is due to increased functionality; (2) an increasing focus on usability originating from end users who have become accustomed to web page usability; (3) an increasing number of different platforms, devices, and technologies; (4) an increasing focus on security which can result in different forms depending on user rights; and (5) an increasing demand on flexibility, efficiency, and personalization. At the same time there is a push to develop system faster and with higher quality.
As an example of a real life business application, consider Microsoft Business Solutions-Axapta®, which has close to 3,000 tables, resulting in close to 2,000 forms. Each form has to be aligned with the layout of each table from which the run-time data is bound. The forms and related form logic have to be aligned whenever the table layout changes and when business logic changes. Adding to the complexity is the increasing number of different client platform technologies. The classic Windows UI is now accompanied by the Web Browser. In the near future, personal digital assistant (PDA), cell phone, and other UI technologies will be adding to complexity.
The Internet has taught end users that they do not need a 14 day course to learn how to use an application. End users expect applications to guide them via tasks, and they expect the application to look appealing. Because more user roles are exposed to the information technology presented through business applications, there is an increasing demand that forms reflect the information each user needs and the tasks that each role has to achieve. All in all the demands on user experience are increasing.
Typically, the user experience and developer experience pull in opposite directions. Good user experience takes longer for an application developer to create and maintain. The vision of having an excellent user experience, and at the same time, supporting high developer productivity, can seem contradictory. This is particularly true in the area of forms generation for business applications.
Applications presenting information must provide their users with as rich an experience as possible on platforms of very diverse capabilities (ranging from rich clients running on the user's desktop, to Web clients running in the user's browser, to Pocket Digital assistants, telephony based devices, and even speech interfaces). A business architect uses his or her knowledge in business engineering to solve problems for the customer. This person is not a computer program developer, and should be protected from the intricacies of program development.
The present invention provides solutions to one or more of the above-described problems and/or provides other advantages over the prior art.